Tobacco Companies Pay Oregon $9 Million

Salem, Oregon (AP) - The Oregon Department of Justice says a panel of arbitrators has ordered tobacco companies to pay Oregon $9 million they withheld from a 2003 payment under the multi-state settlement over tobacco-related diseases. Tobacco companies argued they should not have to make full payments because Oregon and other states didn't "diligently enforce" provisions of the 1998 Master Settlement Agreement. That requires states to collect escrow payments on cigarette sales by tobacco companies that did not join the deal. Arbitrators ruled yesterday that Oregon didn't fail to enforce that provision.